Severus Snape and the Hogwarts Marauders
by Squinky
Summary: This is the story of Snape's childhood, following him until the beginning of HPSS. Inspired by a few chapters in OotP. Chapter 3 is finally written, and it should be posted by September 05. Sorry about the long wait!
1. Knight in the Night

DISCLAIMER: We do not own Harry Potter. We wish we did. We love Snapey.

A/N: Okay, I'm one of the authors, i-am-bug. You probably don't know me, because so far I haven't posted under 'Harry Potter' yet. This story was written by Happi Froggi and me. We created this account specially for this story, though more will probably come later. So, please READ and REVIEW! We love reviews.

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Severus Snape and the Hogwarts Marauders

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PRELUDE

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When Marianne Breeves met Artemis Snape, she was certain she would love him for a long time. When they married, she was certain she would love him until she died. When their son Severus was born, she was certain the three of them would live happily ever after. Her life was a veritable fairy tale, and Marianne Snape was one of the happiest witches in the whole of England.

But every fairy tale has a wicked witch or, in this case, what seems to be a curse on true happiness.

It began subtly. One day, when Severus was about five years old, Marianne heard loud voices downstairs in Artemis's office. Or rather, one loud voice and sobbing. She dropped her paints and hurried down the stairs, through the kitchen, and into her husband's office.

Marianne couldn't believe what she was witnessing. There was Artemis, standing with one hand around Severus's wrist, one hand raised over his son's face.

"No!" cried Marianne, leaping forward and catching her husband's arm seconds before it made contact with the boy's face. "Artemis! What are you doing? Let him go! What did he do?"

"He has to learn, Marri. He has to know not to play with my things."

"LET HIM GO!"

Artemis hesitated a moment, then shoved Severus away. "Very well."

Severus crumpled to the floor in a heap, sobbing.

"Get out!" Artemis snarled. "Just get out!"

He seemed about to remove his son bodily from the room, but at the last moment Marianne placed herself between them.

"Move, Mari! He has to learn!"

Angry tears were streaming down Marianne's cheeks. She seemed ready to retort, but instead turned and carried Severus from the room. The boy was so small, so innocent

How could her Artemis be like this? How could he treat his son in such a cruel manner? Well, perhaps he had a very, very bad day

It was not the last time that such a thing happened. Sometimes Marianne was there to stop Artemis, and sometimes she wasn't. It did not take Marianne long to figure out that Severus had not done anything to warrant his father's wrath.

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CHAPTER ONE - THE KNIGHT IN THE NIGHT

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Severus leaned against the windowsill and stared out into the night. Several floors below him he heard the sounds of yet another argument. His parents were always going at it nowadays. He was hard pressed, in fact, to remember a time when they DIDN'T argue.

His father was upset about his potions again, most likely. It was ALWAYS about his potions. At least he wasn't taking it out on Severus today. His mother, of course, would rather be painting than yelling, and it showed in her actions, the way she went about her day. They were both constantly irritable, though Marianne at least tried to be civil to her son. The same could not, however, be said of Artemis. Sometimes he wanted to cry the way he had when he was five and six, but he couldn't. It made his father even angrier. Severus's life was more than an eleven-year-old boy should have to put up with.

As he sat, staring out the window and into the starry sky, something didn't seem right. He wasn't even thinking about the fact that his father was terribly unfair and his mother was terribly depressed. Or the fact he had no friends. Or that he hated his life. That was besides the point. The point was that something seemed wrong with the stars.

One of them had come alive, and was growing bigger by the second. Soon it was at his window, and didn't look much like a star anymore.

Severus fell backwards into his room, and the tawny owl flapped in the window and landed on one of the posts of his bed.

"You'll be wanting mum," he said, heading for the door. "I never get any mail, you see, and-"

The owl gave a soft hoot and leapt to his shoulder, brandishing the letter like a formidable weapon. Severus was about to protest, but he saw a flash of emerald green. He accepted the letter from the owl. His heart nearly stopped as he saw who it was addressed to.

Mr. S. Snape

The Windowsill

His Room

The Attic

He took the letter with a shaking hand. When he had finally managed to remove the letter from its envelope, he read:

HOGWARTS SCHOOL

of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore

(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,

Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)

Dear Mr. Snape,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Terms begin on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.

Yours sincerely,

Albus Dumbledor,

Deputy Headmaster

Severus stared at the letter for a few long moments. This was all great, but what was he going to tell his father and his mother? Would Artemis let him go? What was his mother going to do without him? He set the letter down on his dresser, then slumped into a chair. He rested his head in his hands, a question gnawing at his mind.

What am I going to do?

He longed to go to that school, Hogwarts, and get away from his wrecked home. His wrecked life. But he couldn't.

Or could he?

He stood up abruptly and strode over to his open window. The cool July night air beckoned him to simply leave. He didn't have to tell his parents. He could just run away.

But first he would need money.

He pulled open his sock drawer and rummaged through his socks until he found a small sack of knuts, a few sickles, and a galleon. He dumped it out on his bed and looked at his pathetic savings. It wouldn't be nearly enough to make it to Diagon Alley, buy his equipment, and stay at the Leaky Cauldron for a few days. Not to mention buying meals. He had to find money elsewhere.

Unfortunately, there was only one source of money Severus could think of at the moment. Artemis Snape. Well, if that was the only way

Pulling out a quill and scrap of parchment, he wrote in a cramped, yet rather neat hand:

I shall be reporting to school on the appointed date.

S. Snape

He tied the parchment to the owl's leg, and the owl flew out the window, disappearing into the night. He heard it give a hoot of happiness as it flew free. Severus could only imagine the feeling.

Now to raid his father's proverbial sock drawer

Pocketing his pitiful coinage, he silently pulled open his door and tiptoed down the steep attic stairs. He made his way to his father's office. If his father caught him He didn't want to think about that.

Most wizards and witches kept their money in Gringotts, the wizard bank located at Diagon Alley. Artemis Snape, however, always kept a small stash of treasure under a loose floorboard in his office.

Severus tested a few floorboards, and when he finally found the loose one. It came up with a loud creak. He flinched, then caught up the small box from under the floor. There was no dust on the top of the box, but there was a layer on the under-the-floor-boards. So the box had been opened recently, he thought. That was good. It would be hard to make the box look untouched if he had to make it dusty, but this way all he had to do was-

There was a creak in the ceiling above him, what would be the floor of his parents room. He pulled out his money pouch, then quickly upended the box into it. Dozens of knuts, a few handfuls of sickles, and what must have been a fistful of galleons spilled out. He should put a few back, but there was no time, the person was coming down the stairs

He clapped the lid back on the box, placed it carefully in the dust print, threw the board back into place and ran.

Marianne found her son in the kitchen chewing on a slice of bread. Severus shrugged, smiled, and finished the last bite in a large mouthful. It was too large, was taking too long to chew, so he couldn't excuse himself and head to his room. Marianne smiled sadly and reached for the bread.

Severus choked and coughed a few times, causing his mother to turn from the bread to her son. He was calming down when there was a loud shout from upstairs. Marianne pulled her hand across her eyes and headed for the door.

"You're father's got a new job, I'll tell you tomorrow," she said as she hurried from the room.

Severus gave a relieved sigh, his "coughing fit" disappearing instantly. He picked up the rather larger pouch from behind the bread and sprinted towards the stairs.

He ran up the steps, not bothering to go quietly. He reached his room in record time and pulled open his closet. There was a small trunk sitting on the floor, and Severus pulled it out and set it on his bed.

But what to bring to Hogwarts?

The letter had said there was a list of items he should have. He grabbed the envelope and extracted the second piece of paper.

He looked it over, but he didn't own any of the things on the list. He would buy them at Diagon Alley when he arrived.

He sighed as he heaved his empty trunk off his bed and back into his closet. There was no reason to carry around an empty trunk, and he had nothing from home that he would be needing at school. He would even be buying robes at Diagon Alley.

It would be easier to run away without a trunk, anyway.

There was one last thing he had to do. He picked up his quill and pulled out another piece of parchment. He wrote:

Mum --- I'm leaving. When you get this I'll have left already, but I just want you to know that I'm okay. I'm going to Hogwarts. Please don't tell Dad.

Severus lifted his quill for a moment. Was there anything else to say? He answered his own question by writing:

Love you,

Severus

He folded the letter and placed it on his bed. His mother would come up here eventually and find the letter. There was nothing to do now but leave.

But how was he to get himself to Diagon Alley? He could use floo powder, but

The jingle of the coins at his belt gave him another answer. He had enough money to do it, didn't he? And though he didn't have a wand yet, he didn't really need one to call upon the Knight Bus.

So that was that. He took one last look at his room before he began to ease himself out the window. He was on the top floor, in the attic, quite a long way from the ground. There was, however, a large tree beneath his windowsill, and he was light enough to trust even the topmost branches with his weight.

He swung his legs out over the windowsill, trying to gauge the distance between his window and the tree. It was only a few feet away from the window, and it looked easy enough to jump. With only a short moment of hesitation, he hurled himself off the windowsill.

Severus had never considered just how hard it would be to land in a tree. He grabbed wildly at the bigger branches, but there were leaves and twigs that rushed past him as he fell and scratched his face and arms. Sometimes he hit the bigger branches, but it all went too fast for him to grab the limb he had collided with. When he finally caught on to a branch he was scraped and bruised something terrible and was only a few feet from the ground.

He let go of the branch and dropped to the grass. He saw a light go on in one of the downstairs rooms and realized what a racket he must have been making.

He scurried over to a bush and crouched behind it. Through the tightly knit branches of the bush, Severus saw his front door open. In the light of the doorway, the silhouette of his father was visible.

Severus hardly dared to breathe. He didn't want his father to hear him, not now

After a few seconds that stretched into eternity, Severus's father closed the door. Severus let out the breath he hadn't realized he had been holding. He straightened up, fairly sure no one would open the door again.

He wished he could Apparate, the way his parents always did, because the nearest road was about a mile away. It would be much easier to simply pop out of existence and pop back into existence at the street. Unfortunately, Severus hadn't even gotten a wand yet, forget taken his Apparition test. He would have to walk.

To take his mind off the long walk, Severus tried to imagine what it would be like at Hogwarts. There would be lots of people his own age, certainly. He would probably make some good friends for the first time in a few long years. The Snapes lived out in the middle of nowhere, and lately neither of his parents had bothered to take Severus anywhere.

There was a hooting from over his head and Severus looked up. An owl was perched in the tree overhead, it's wing held back at an odd angle, obviously broken. Severus reached up, but the owl was too far overhead, at least a foot out of his reach. He grabbed the lowest branch and started hauling himself up a few inches, and the owl broke into frantic flight. With it's one broken wing, it didn't get far. It tried to land, but it's talons closed around his right hand and he let go of the branch, extended his arm, and the owl landed. He was about to drop the the ground on his feet but there was a flash of light, a screech and a crash, and the tree shook so hard Severus fell to the ground, one arm holding the owl protectively.

The grass around him was flooded with light, and he was blinded by the brightness of ot all. Had Artemis found him? It seemed so, and now a figure was standing in front of him, with the same lean figure of his father, with Artemis's long hair, and

A conductor's hat?

"'Ello! Austin Shunpike, conductor of the Knight Bus. Emergency transport for the stranded witch or wizard. Just stick out your wand 'and, step on board and tell us - er, wot you're doing on the ground?"

It was definietly not Artemis Snape. His father had never dressed up in a purple uniform, bewitched himself to have blond-red hair and adopted an accent and the name Austin Shunpike

"'Ere, you are a wizard, right?"

Shunpike had drawn forth a wand, and Severus realized that lying on the ground goggling at the man who's appearance was a mystery. He must look like a stunned Muggle! He would have found it almost funny if he hadn't been about to have his memory wiped. He nodded quickly, long, lank hair flopping in his face.

"Don't wipe my memory, er Mr. Shunpike?" he said tentatively.

"Ah, you ARE a wizard. Good, didn't want to 'ave to wipe your memory."

"Er, thanks. How much to get to Diagon Alley? And doesn't the Knight Bus have to drive on a road like Muggle buses?"

"Eleven sickles to Diagon Alley. And does it look like we're on the road? Nevermind, hop in. But you can't bring the owl unless you've got a cage, can't risk 'im annoying the passengers"

"He's coming with me," said Severus, his grip tightening a little on the owl. "He won't misbehave." Shunpike seemed about to argue, so he said "I promise."

Austin Shunpike shrugged.

"Well, if you promise Any bad behaviour's on you're 'ead, not mine." He turned to look at the Knight Bus.

It had run headlong into the tree, and it seemed beyond repair. Shunpike, however, motioned to the driver through the windowsheild, and the bus backed away from the unexpected barrier. Shunpike brandished his wand, and the bus returned to normal in a flash of yellow light. He bowed, motioned Severus to the bus, and hopped in afterwords.

The bus was full of four-poster brass bedsteads and fluffy mattreses, capped with rather limp pillows, cotton sheets, and bedside tables. The driver was a middle-aged wizard with thick glasses sitting in an armchair behind the steering wheel.

"This is Ernie Prang, our driver," said Shunpike. "Ernie, this is"

"Artemis Snape," said Severus on impulse. He didn't want to give too many leads is his father tried to find him.

"Well, Arti, where do you want to go?" asked Shunpike. "London, but"

"The Leaky Cauldron," said Severus, naming the pub at the enrance to Diagon Alley.

"Ar," grunted the driver. He stepped on the gas and Severus fell to the floor, the owl still clutched tightly in his arms. Shunpike, sitting down, had narrowly avoided a tumble.

"Get a bed then, Arti, and we'll let you know when we're there."

Severus rose and, carrying the owl, found a spot down at the end of the first deck of the bus. He was alone, and he preffered it that way. It would be easier to think.

He set the owl down on his pillow, then took a seat on the bed. Now that he looked at the owl's wing closely, he did not think it was broken. He bent closer, and sure enough found a stick embedded in the wing. He gave a sharp tug, and the owl screeched, and the stick was in his hand.

It was quite a handsome owl. It was covered in black feathers and had bright golden eyes. He stroked it's head gently and asked softly, "What should I name you?"

The owl only hooted in reply.

"How about Andreivich?" The owl shook its haed and ruffled it's feathers in obvious distaste.

"All right then, how about Kismet? Fluffy? Golda?"

The owl glared.

"Er, how about a sign or and idea?"

Shunpike walked past. "Madame Marsh, this is your stop!"

Severus cocked an eyebrow at the owl. "That's not what I had in mind how about Sable?"

The owl nodded and hooted softly, then seemed to fall asleep. So Sable it was.

A few seconds later, a short witch tottered down the stairs followed by Shunpike. Severus wondered what the owl would be named if he had taken the "sign" of Shunpike calling to her. Marshy, perhaps? Or maybe Marshible.

For the first time in years, he laughed and meant it. Then he moved Sable off his pillow and lay down himself. He hadn't realized how tired he was, but had never fallen asleep so fast in his room in the attic.

When he awoke, he found himself being looked in the face by a man with blond-red hair and wide eyes. He sat up so fast he dislodged Sable from the owl's nesting on his chest. The black owl shot him a reproachful look, and Shunpike backed away.

"We're at your stop."

"Oh," said Severus. "Good."

He lifted Sable, and the two of them headed for the door. As he stepped to the ground, he turned back to thank Shunpike and pay him, but the Knight Bus was already gone. It seemed odd, but

He turned back to the buildings and found himself looking in the widow of a grimy pub. Sable hooted softly, their eyes met, and he entered the pub cautiously. An elderly man with a few less teeth than he should have had turned as he entered, and looked him over.

"You'll be wantin' a room?"

"Er, yeah"

"Got one free, follow me."

The room was small, but Severus had no complaints - it had a bed. He may have slept on the Knight Bus, but his idea of deep sleep didn't involve a lot of loud banging and a driver shouting out names every five minutes. After the inkeeper (who introduced himself as Tom) left, he collapsed into it and spent the last hours of his first night away from home dreaming of flight on sable wings.


	2. Padfoot and Knarl

Chapter Two: Padfoot and Knarl  
  
Severus awoke slowly, feeling slightly disoriented. Where was he? He smiled slightly as he remembered the last night's flight through the window, onto the Knight Bus, and to the Leaky Cauldron.  
  
Sitting up, he surveyed his surroundings. He had been too tired to look around the room when he had arrived, and now was his chance.  
  
The room was nice, nicer than Severus's room at home. The bed had been very comfortable; he could tell that without looking at it. There was some nice oak furniture and a mirror that said "Good morning" when he looked at it. Sable was perched on the dresser. He was looking down at Severus with interest.  
  
"Oh, go catch some mice or something," Severus said.  
  
Seemingly taking Severus's advice, Sable flapped her wings a few times then flew out the open window.  
  
The open window reminded Severus about the part of last night's escape that he didn't want to think about. The fact that he had run away. The fact that his father would be trying to find him.  
  
He didn't want to be found.  
  
He had told no one his name, but... In a flash, Severus realized just how stupid he had been to tell Austin Shunpike that his name was Artemis Snape. His father would ask if there had been a Severus Snape on the Knight Bus recently. Austin would reply with "No, but there was an Artemis Snape." The real Artemis Snape would know right away that it had been his son.  
  
How had he been so stupid?  
  
But it didn't matter now. What had happened had happened. Severus pulled himself out of bed. Sunlight was streaming through the window, illuminating the dust in the air so that it seemed there were great shafts of light pouring down from the heavens.  
  
Having fallen asleep still wearing his clothes, he was already dressed and ready to go. He contemplated taking out the letter from Hogwarts, but he had only just arrived. He didn't have to go shopping for school supplies just yet. He would have himself a look around first.  
  
Or rather, he would have breakfast first and then look around.  
  
Severus had been so caught up in the excitement of all that had happened that he hadn't realized just how hungry he was. He had never eaten much at home; he preferred to get away from the table-away from his father soon as possible.  
  
Still, it had been hours since he had last eaten. His stomach grumbled audibly as he made his way to breakfast. He wasn't completely sure where he was supposed to get breakfast, but certainly someone would know. In any case, it couldn't hurt to ask.  
  
The man with the missing teeth-- whose name was Tom-- pointed him in the direction of Diagon Alley, where he would be able to find breakfast. He checked his pocket, just to make sure the money was still there. Of course it was.  
  
Severus squinted as he stepped into the bright sunlight. He must have slept late, the sun was high. It must have been about noon or later, and he was very hungry. Before he went shopping, he'd have to get some lunch.  
  
He wandered along the high street, eyes wide. The windows of Diagon Alley sparkled and glittered in the fall sunlight, and he could tell he looked out of place; drab and small and pale among all the people and bustle and light.  
  
And there certainly was a lot of bustle and light. Shops lined the Alley, each special and different. Severus resisted the urge--barely--to go into a shop of spellbooks and spend some of his valuable money.  
  
He passed a few restaurants, but none of them were quite what he was looking for. He wanted a lot of food for cheap. In fact, he had passed quite a few restaurants before he found what he was looking for.  
  
The Year of the Knarl.  
  
It was a dingy little place with a big red and gold sign hanging out front that stated in about four languages that this place was called the Year of the Knarl and it was a genuine Chinese Buffet.  
  
A buffet was exactly what Severus was looking for. This particular buffet was having an all-you-can-eat-for-a-galleon-and-eight-sickles deal. Perfect.  
  
Every once in a while Severus's mother had made Chinese food, at least when he was young. She had thought it would be a good idea for her son to try different ethnic foods. So Severus knew just what to head for at the buffet.  
  
However, he couldn't help but be curious when he saw some of the foods that were a choice. Plimpy lo mein, for example. Plimpies were little ball- shaped fish with two long legs. The plimpy lo mein, incidentally, had little ball-shaped pieces of fish and a lot of noodles.  
  
Severus took some of this.  
  
Another thing that caught his attention were the Knarl steaks. They were small and brownish hunks of meat on sticks in some kind of sauce.  
  
Soon Severus's plate was piled high with a myriad of different Chinese foods. There was always the fact that neither Plimpies nor Knarls originated in China, but at this point Severus didn't care. Food was food.  
  
Severus bumped into a handsome boy who looked about his age. "Sorry," he mumbled.  
  
"You should watch where you're going," the boy said, either ignoring his apology or not hearing it.  
  
"Sorry," Severus said again, louder.  
  
"You going to eat all that?" the boy asked.  
  
Severus looked down at his plate, though he knew what was on it. "Yes."  
  
"Wow. I was just wondering, because you're kind of small and that's a lot of food."  
  
"Sirius!" a harsh voice floated over to the boys from a nearby table. "Are you coming?"  
  
"Yeah, Mum, just a second," Sirius said. He turned back to Severus. "By the way, I'm Sirius Black."  
  
"Severus Snape."  
  
"No, Sirius Bl-- oh, that's your name."  
  
Severus nodded. He didn't like this Sirius Black very much.Though he knew it was rude, he turned and began walking away.  
  
"Wait!" Sirius said. "Are you alone?"  
  
Severus nodded again, just wishing that Sirius would go away.  
  
"Wow. Where are you from? My mum is always trying to watch me, I swear, she's the nosiest witch in this country. And," he brought his voice down to a whisper, "She's a Dark witch. But don't go squealing."  
  
Severus' father was an Auror, but he didn't plan on telling him. He would probably track down and kill Mrs. Black without a second thought--or a trial. He was that kind of Auror. So Severus said: "What does it matter if I'm alone or not?"  
  
Sirius shrugged. "It doesn't. Are you going to Hogwarts?"  
  
"Yes, now will you just let me eat?"  
  
Sirius made a face at him, but another call from his nosy, evil mother finally took him away. Severus didn't think he'd like Mrs. Black much if he met her. Severus turned his back on his fellow student and wandered away to find a table. He could only find a window seat, but he didn't mind. Sitting there, he could watch people go by with bags and packages, walking alone, or talking and laughing in big groups. In a way he kind of envied them, but he couldn't very well join them. They were so different from him. Only one of them looked even remotely like someone who would talk to him, but he was Artemis Snape.  
  
Artemis Snape!  
  
Severus ducked under the table. His father had been headed into a dingy little alley by the name of "Knockturn." After a few moments, Severus decided that his father must be gone. Anyway, people would probably notice him under this table.  
  
"What are you doing under the table?"  
  
Severus turned his head, his thoughts confirmed, expecting to see Sirius Black standing over him. Instead, he was confronted but a short blonde boy with bulging blue eyes. Startled, Severus tried to stand but bumped his head off the table.  
  
"Uh, hello," he said awkwardly.  
  
The boy grinned. "You're funny."  
  
Severus was about to make a tart reply when the boy extended his hand and hauled Severus to his feet.  
  
"Lovegood."  
  
Severus blinked. "Excuse me?"  
  
"My name. Lovegood."  
  
"Snape, I'm Severus Snape."  
  
The boy grinned again, his eyes bugging even more to make him look something like a Terrier being squeezed too hard. "I'd tell you my first name, but my aunt doesn't let me talk to strangers. My aunt's real nice, but she's so silly at times. Doesn't even believe in Crumple-Horned Snorkaks. Funny, isn't it?"  
  
"Yes," said Severus. "Really funny."  
  
"Odd though," said the boy sadly, "because my parents were killed by a Crumple-Horned Snorkak. You'd think she'd have minded. But the woman can't even have toast without butter, so you know she's silly, isn't she?"  
  
Severus dumbly, but found himself liking the boy with the bulging eyes anyway. At least he was nice.  
  
"Ignore Sirius," said the boy, waving his hand in front of his face as if trying to shoo away a fly. "He's just forward, that's all. His parents are rotten, see. My aunt calls him a bright young lad. Inquisitive, she calls him. Wish she'd call me that," he said sighing, "but she thinks I'm a bit slow, see. Here, you can eat toast without butter, right? Because I'd hate to have insulted you just now."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Oh, that's a relief! My, you don't look good at all. Have you been eating enough? I think you ought to do better at Hogwarts, really. Sorry if I eavesdropped, but I'm going there too, in about a week. I'll be safe from Crumple-Horned Snorkaks there at least. Bet they won't like Dumbledore. He's a great man, Dumbledore, or at least that's what my aunt says. Hope he isn't like Sirius. Out of curiosity, what do you like on your toast?"  
  
"Um, butter I suppose," said Severus. "But not all the time. Only on Tuesdays. At night. When my dad's playing cards," he improvised. Lovegood seemed so odd he might not like a normal, simple answer, and would probably use it to prove that Crumple-Horned Snorkaks did, indeed, exist.  
  
"My! you are imaginative all right. Well, my aunt will miss me. See you at school."  
  
Severus watched the boy retreat and began to smile. Today was turning out all right after all.  
  
---  
  
It was only after the boy had been gone for a few minutes and Severus was eating his plimpy lo mein that he remembered he had seen his father walking into Knockturn Alley. He would have to be careful.  
  
A horrible thought struck him. What if Artemis was looking for him? He would have to lay low for a little while. The meeting of "Lovegood" had drawn his thoughts away from the prospect of being found by his father, and now the worry and fear was hitting him full force.  
  
He had never done anything like this before. How would Artemis react?  
  
"Bye Severus! See you at Hogwarts!" Sirius called.  
  
Severus waved half-heartedly, just to be polite. Inquisitive. Right. He was full before he finished his food, and he left a half-finished plate on the table.  
  
The worst part was that, since he hadn't finished his food, he had proved Sirius right.  
  
---  
  
He considered wandering around Diagon Alley for a while, but he didn't want to chance meeting his father.  
  
Maybe he should go back to the Leaky Cauldron. He paid for his "Chinese" food and strode out of the shop. He had passed Sirius on the way out, and Mrs. Black looked as disagreeable as she had sounded.  
  
Thoughts of Sirius' mother brought back thoughts of his own father. Why might he be in Diagon Alley? Or Knockturn Alley, or wherever it was his father had gone.  
  
It must be that new job his mother had mentioned. The only other possibility that Severus could think of was that his father was looking for him. But, for some reason, Severus doubted that. He hadn't been sure lately if the elder Snape even knew he existed.  
  
Pushing those thoughts out of his head, he shrugged and left for Diagon Alley to buy his school supplies. If he saw his father, he would hide. It should be as simple as that. And if it wasn't...  
  
---  
  
And it was. A week later found him at Platform 9¾, his school supplies packed neatly in his new trunk. Sable was perched on his shoulder. He hadn't gotten a cage... Sable was extremely well behaved for an owl, especially one he'd found in the forest. Perhaps Sable had belonged to some other wizard or witch in some time past. Oh well. Didn't matter.  
  
Or at least, he thought he was 9¾. That was assuming it was between 9 and 10 somewhere. He stared blankly at the wall.  
  
"Hey, Snape!" came a familiar voice. He flinched and turned, finding himself face to face with a very pretty older girl.  
  
"You going to move?" she asked. "You're blocking the passage."  
  
"What's taking so long, Bella?" asked the unpleasant voice of Mrs. Black.  
  
"Midgits in the way," said the girl.  
  
"I'm not a midget!" came the first voice.  
  
"All first years are midgets. But you aren't in the way, are you?" asked the girl snobbily.  
  
"Shove them, then," said the other first year, and Sirius's shaggy head poked around from behind the girl. "Hey, what do you know, it is a midget. Go on, give him a shove."  
  
The girl shoved him, but instead of hitting the brick wall, he fell right through it and landed with a thud on a stone floor. The breath was knocked out of him, and when he got it back he noticed a boy standing over him. He had soft brown hair that looked as if it hadn't been brushed in a month and a long scar fading scar down the arm he was offering to Severus. There was something funny about him; maybe it was the nervous smile, maybe it was the slightly frayed robes, or maybe... no, he knew after a moment, it was the look on his face. He wasn't insane and bug-eyed, but he looked almost friendly.  
  
"More midgets," lamented the girl called Bella, giving the boy a condescending glance. Then she did a double-take and stared at him, as if he were something deeply unpleasant. "Ugh," she said, "You're a Lupin, aren't you?"  
  
The boy nodded, still holding out his hand. Finally Severus took it and allowed  
  
Lupin to help him to his feet.  
  
"Well," said Bella, "see you September fourteenth."  
  
Lupin's face went very pale and he tucked his hands into his pockets. Sirius, who had been staring, shook his head.  
  
"What was that about?" he asked.  
  
"I- I don't know," said the boy called Lupin shakily. "Just, uh..."  
  
But whatever it just was, he didn't get a chance to say, because a bell sounded and all three of them had to grab their luggage and head for the train.  
  
---  
  
Lupin and Sirius went to sit in a compartment in the front of the train with a group of boys, some first years and some obviously older. Severus headed farther back, relieved that Sirius hadn't tried to follow him. He decided to look for Lovegood, the one person on the train who he knew and didn't particularly dislike. He found him sitting along in a compartment in the back of the train.  
  
"Oh, hi, Severus," Lovegood greeted him, then continued staring out the window.  
  
Severus sat next to him for a few minutes, but when the boy didn't talk, he ventured to ask what he was doing.  
  
"I," Lovegood said importantly, "Am looking for Crumple-Horned Snorkaks. You see, my aunt says that if I bring her a picture of one, she might believe me."  
  
"Do you have a camera?" Severus asked for lack of anything else to say.  
  
"No, but I'll deal with that when I get there."  
  
"Okay," Severus said, and Lovegood went back to staring out the window. Suddenly the door slid open and Sirius, Lupin, and a boy Severus didn't know walked in. The boy had untidy hair and glasses.  
  
"Hi, Snape!" Sirius said.  
  
"Hello, Sirius," Severus replied flatly.  
  
Unfortunately, Sirius sat down right next to him. "This," he proclaimed, "is James Potter. And I think you know Lupin?"  
  
"Yeah, we've met," Lupin said. "And who's your friend over there?" he gestured to Lovegood, who still stared dreamily out the window.  
  
"That's Lovegood," said Severus.  
  
"Actually," murmured Lovegood, "it's Henrietta Eustace Waldetta Warren Lovegood the Third."  
  
"Henrietta?" asked Sirius, lifting an eyebrow.  
  
"Well, that's one of my middle names," said Lovegood, turning away from the window again. "My aunt doesn't like it if I tell strangers my first name."  
  
"We aren't strangers," said Potter, giving Lovegood a funny look. "We've told you our names."  
  
"Well, I still don't really know you." And he turned back to the window, more resolutely than before.  
  
"Bit of a nutter, is he?" asked Potter in lower tones.  
  
"Get out," said Severus angrily.  
  
"Now now, manners, Snape," said Sirius. "We've been being told all day that midgets aren't wanted by the big gits in that other compartment. At least here, we're all titchy."  
  
"Where's that scar on your arm from, Lupin?"  
  
All four of them turned to face Lovegood, who was still scanning the countryside for the famed Snorkaks. Lupin shot a startled glance at his arm, then gave his sleeve a tug.  
  
"Frightened my owl," he muttered.  
  
"Oh," said Lovegood. "I didn't see you carrying a cage."  
  
"It belongs to my parents," said Lupin blushing. "Come on, let's go back to the other compartment."  
  
Once they were gone, Lovegood leaned over to Severus. "My first name's Aries," he whispered.  
  
Severus nodded, then sat back in the seat, feeling suddenly very, very tired.  
  
---  
  
He was sitting on a Crumple-Horned Snorkak, looking down at his mother. She was doing something. Severus squinted to see what it was. She was... she was writing a letter. He urged the Snorkak forward to read it. He couldn't read it but he knew it was very, very important. What did it say? He had to read it. It was completely important, but the Snorkak was running away. Now there was a figure bearing down at her, pointing a wand. He knew the killing curse would come next. He tried to shout for her to get out of the way, but his mouth didn't move. Instead, the Snorkak was running him right into the gaping maw of a werewolf.  
  
He woke up gasping. It had just been a dream, just a dream...Something was poking him in the forehead and in an instant he realized it was Sirius.  
  
"You awake now?" he asked.  
  
"No, no, I'm not," Severus answered sarcastically, still bothered by the dream.  
  
But Sirius had turned to James and Lupin. "No, mum, no, not the Snorkak!" he yelled. James laughed and Lupin gave him a sickly smile. Sirius continued mocking Severus.  
  
"Not the werewolf! Watch out! Nooooo! Damn Snorkak! No, mum, no!" James broke down laughing again but Lupin did nothing. Sirius, still chuckling, turned to Severus. "What's wrong, Snivellus, missing your mum already?"  
  
"Oh, do leave him alone, Black," said Lovegood, giving him a withering glance. "Everyone knows you and your mum hate each other."  
  
"Do they, Henrietta?" asked Sirius, smiling.  
  
"Yes," said Lovegood. "And I should think that you would have some respect for anyone with any sort of imagination."  
  
Sirius blinked a few times, then turned to Severus again. "See you Snivellus," he said. "Do try to avoid those Snorkaks in the future."  
  
There was a burst of light and Sirius screamed, then went flying out the compartment door. Lupin hurried after him. "Sirius, are you all right?"  
  
James, however, turned to Severus. "You're going to regret that, Snape," he said as he left, slamming the compartment door behind him.  
  
"What-?"  
  
"That was pretty good, I think," said Lovegood, "you know, for me having never done that before and all."  
  
"That was you?" asked Severus.  
  
"Sure," said Lovegood.  
  
"What did you do to him?"  
  
"I have no idea," said Lovegood, "now be quiet. I'm still looking for those Snorkaks, mind you." And without another word, he went back to staring out the window. Severus knew then, without a doubt, that he was definitely beginning to hate Snorkaks. 


End file.
